A New Case and a New Romance
by elsiecarson
Summary: Boyd, Grace, and the team are on a case in a remote location east of London. The weather is terrible and it's late at night as usual. Grace's car is not working again so Boyd drives her home. Close friends become something more.
1. Arrival

Boyd sighs as he climbs out his car in the middle of nowhere somewhere east of London, almost as far east as you can go without falling into the ocean.

"I would love to know why we always seem to get cases in the middle of the night, in the middle of nowhere, in the pouring rain." Grace walks over to Boyd.

"You know Grace, I don't know why that is, but we sure get more than our fair share." Boyd grabs his big umbrella from the back seat of his car.

"You're going to need to wear your willies. It's really muddy." Grace tells Boyd.

Boyd pops the trunk and sits on the edge to put his willies on. Grace shines her flashlight at Boyd so he can see what he's doing. "Jesus Grace, that light is so bright. Try not to blind me, hey?"

"This one's pretty gruesome, Boyd. The body still has flesh. It's making me queasy." Grace admits to Boyd.

"Why did we get the call if the body is still mostly intact?" Boyd asks walking over to the crime scene with Grace.


	2. A New Case

"The body has been frozen, Boyd. This person's been dead at least four years. That why CID called me." Eve says looking up at Boyd from her spot in the mud.

"Great, what else do we know Eve?" Boyd asks running his hand across his face.

"I won't know anything more until I do a post-mortem, Boyd. I'm not going to speculate on anything yet." Eve says seriously.

"Alright, what do we know about this area? What do we know about the crime scene, Spence?" Boyd asks tiredly.

"The area's very rural. Everyone seems to know everyone else. Someone will know our victim for sure. According to CID this is the 5th body discovered here in as many years. The house in the distance is abandoned, but apparently there are squatters who have taken over the building." Spence relays the information to Boyd.

"Okay, we need to talk to all of them. Someone out there saw something and we need to know what. Spence, Stella, go talk to the squatters. Grace and I are going to talk to the person who discovered the body. After we get that done everyone go home and get some sleep. We'll regroup at the office tomorrow morning." Boyd says wearily.

The quartet disperse to go about their tasks. Boyd trusts Grace's impression of every witness they interview. They both have a good read on people based on two entirely different sets of criteria. Boyd is determined to keep the interview short and get home to his warm bed. The damp is making him chilly.


	3. Questioning a Witness

"Mr. Piercy, can you tell me how you came across the body?" Boyd asks the very cold looking man.

"I left my house about three and a half hours ago to walk my dog before I went home to bed. I had my flashlight with me. I let my dog off the lead when we got to this field. I kept the light on her so I didn't lose her. Normally she's very quiet, but suddenly she started to bark and I saw she was digging around something. I went over to her and pulled her away from whatever she was digging up and I saw a finger. I immediately called the police. Your forensic team took samples from my dog already." Mr. Piercy tells Boyd.

When Boyd looks at Grace she's bent down petting Mr. Piercy's dog. "Mr. Piercy, did anyone go missing in this area four years ago?" Boyd asks seriously.

"I wouldn't know, DSI Boyd. I only moved into the area two years ago when I retired. You'd be better off asking someone who has lived here their entire lives." Mr. Piercy tells Boyd.

"Alright, Mr. Piercy. Thank you for your time. We'll get an officer to take you home." Boyd says politely.


	4. Profile Him

Boyd watches Mr. Piercy and his dog walk away from him. "What do you think, Grace?"

"I think he's telling the truth. I don't see him as our suspect. He wasn't returning to the scene of the crime or the dump site. He doesn't fit the profile I don't think." Grace says thinking carefully.

"I think he's telling the truth too. I still want a background check done on him. I want to know everything about him. Mr. Piercy and all the squatters all need background checks. We need information and quickly." Boyd seems tired.

"We are not going to get a lot more information tonight. It's late and nothing is going to work in this case if we're all exhausted. We all need to go home and sleep and get back to work tomorrow." Grace tries to persuade Boyd to relax.

"I'm not even thinking clearly right now. You're right, Grace. I need to go home. Do you need a ride home?" Boyd asks as he and Grace walks towards his car.

"Yes, please. My car is in the shop again. Spence picked me up on his way to the crime scene." Grace knows she probably needs a new car, but she can't imagine getting rid of it.

"No problem, Grace. Do you have anything in Spence's car you need before we can head out?" Boyd asks Grace.

"No, my regular shoes are in my giant handbag. We can go right now." Grace collapses her umbrella down as they reach the car. Boyd pops the trunk and he and Grace sit on the lip to take their willies off and put their regular shoes on.

"Just put your boots on the plastic in the boot, Grace." Boyd says as he stands up.


	5. Heat and Teasing

Grace shivers as she gets in the car. "This case seems like it's going to be difficult." Grace says as Boyd gets into the car.

"They're all difficult now, Grace. We'll get the heat on in a minute. I don't know about you, but I'm freezing." Boyd turns the car on and waits for it to heat up.

"I'm freezing too, but I'm always cold so that's not uncommon. I'll be okay in a minute." Grace shivers as she speaks.

Boyd watches Grace with concern. She seems to stay cold for so long since her cancer scare. "You really should get a new car, Grace. This is silly." Boyd turns the windscreen wipers on to clear the ice from the windscreen.

"I know I do, but I love that car. I can't imagine getting a new one." Grace sighs happily as the heat kicks in in the car.

Boyd chuckles at Grace. She's so stubborn. He want to get Grace home as soon as possible and sit her in front of the fire to get warm. He worries about Grace probably more than he should as someone who's supposed to be just a friend.


	6. Driving Home and Coffee

The roads are congested and Grace begins to fall asleep in the passenger seat. Boyd smiles as he looks at her. She's so beautiful and she doesn't even realize it half the time. Boyd is normally an impatient driver, but with Grace asleep next to him he's driving much more cautiously to get them both home safely. Boyd is surprised at how much he's feeling for Grace. The motorway is so packed with cars heading back into London. Later than Boyd wanted he pulls up in front of Grace's house. He takes his seatbelt off and turns towards Grace. He puts his hand on her shoulder and says, "Grace, you're home."

Grace blinks as she slowly wakes up. When she opens her eyes Boyd's eyes, dark and romantic, are staring back at her. "Thank you, Boyd. Do you want to come in? I can put some coffee on." Grace says sleepily.

"If I come in odds are I'll fall asleep. I couldn't believe I got the call in the middle of the night." Boyd yawns.

"I don't mind if you stay over, Boyd. Actually after that gruesome crime scene I would appreciate not being alone." Grace says honestly.

"I would appreciate not being alone too. I'll just grab my carryall." Boyd yawns again before he gets out of the car.

Grace waits for Boyd on the sidewalk. Boyd grabs his bag and walks over to Grace. He puts his arm casually around her shoulders and she leans heavily against him. They're both so tired. Boyd is glad that Grace trusts him so much. Grace digs in her handbag for her keys. She opens the front door and lets herself and Boyd into the house. "Do you want coffee, Boyd?"

"Only if it's decaf. I'll never sleep tonight if I have caffeine now." Boyd sighs heavily.

"I think I can handle decaf." Grace teases Boyd as she enters the kitchen. Grace quickly makes coffee and passes Boyd a mug. "I'm going to sit in the living room where it's warm."

"That sounds brilliant. I don't think I've warmed up yet." Boyd still looks chilled through.


	7. Warming Up and Sleepy

Grace walks into the living room with Boyd following closely behind her. She turns on the gas fire before she curls up under a blanket on the sofa.

"Here, let me under too. I'm frozen!" Boyd slides closer to Grace.

Grace lets Boyd under the blanket and she snuggles against him. Boyd pulls his legs up onto the sofa and sets his coffee mug on his knee. The coffee isn't the best but the company is wonderful. Soon however grace can feel herself nodding off to the point where she nearly spills her coffee. "I think I'd best go to bed. I'll be asleep in a minute."

"I think that's a good idea. We can do the dishes in the morning. I'll just stay on the sofa tonight." Boyd says sleepily.

"You'll do no such thing. Your back will never survive that. I can at least offer you the guest bedroom." Grace yawns.

"What's my option other than the guest bedroom?" Boyd asks teasingly.

"Well, you could stay in my room with me. We'd be warmer and I certainly wouldn't mind." Grace says cheekily.

"Grace Foley, you are cheeky and devious. Are you sure about this? Will you be comfortable?" Boyd asks gently.

"I wouldn't have suggested it otherwise. I'll be fine. Let's go to bed. We both need to get some sleep. I do not want to fall asleep here." Grace says firmly.

"Alright, let's go to bed. I don't know if I can even make it up the stairs." Boyd yawns widely.

Grace stands up and pulls Boyd up with her. "You go up. I'm just going to check the doors and set the alarm and I'll be right up."

"Okay." Boyd doesn't even bother to argue with Grace he's so tired. He wearily climbs the stairs. He quickly finds Grace's bedroom. It reminds him of her. It has a little bit of a hippie vibe. Boyd sits down on the side of the bed to wait for Grace. He hears her soft footsteps on the stairs. She seems to be climbing them very slowly.


	8. Bedtime Anxiety

Grace walks down the hall to her bedroom. She's surprised that Boyd is still sitting on the side of the bed. "I'm going to go put my pyjamas on. Feel free to get settled." She grabs a pair of pale blue pyjamas and heads into the bathroom.

Boyd suddenly realizes that Grace is far less nervous about this than he is. He slowly loosens his tie. He thinks about what he wants to wear to bed. He doesn't want to make Grace feel uncomfortable by wearing too little. He takes his tie and suit jacket off and begins to unbutton his dress shirt. He pulls a t-shirt out of his carryall and slips it on. He figures it's safer to leave some sort of shirt on tonight. He takes his dress pants and socks off and climbs into bed.

Grace comes into the room wearing her pyjamas and rubbing lotion into her hands. She smiles when she sees how comfortable Boyd looks. She climbs into bed next to Boyd and leans back against her pillow. She yawns and Boyd echoes her yawn. "Can I turn out the light, Boyd?"

"Yeah, let's get some sleep. We've got to be prepared to solve this case when we go to work tomorrow." Boyd sighs heavily.

Grace turns out the light and snuggles down into the blankets. "Are you warm enough, Boyd?" Grace asks sleepily.

"Yes, I am, Grace." Boyd mumbles. He's laying flat on his back and it's clear that he's uncomfortable.

"Boyd, would you relax? You'll never sleep if you're so antsy." Grace rolls over to face Boyd and puts her arm around his waist.

Boyd sighs heavily. He knows Grace is right. He puts his arm around Grace and relaxes. Grace's hand is resting on Boyd's chest. He's uncomfortable for a moment, but he realizes that Grace is trying to help him be relaxed and calm. Boyd relaxes as he listens to Grace's calm, even breathing. Grace rolls over as she falls asleep. Boyd rolls onto his side and pulls Grace against him. Her cold feet come in contact with his shins and he gasps in surprise. Her feet are absolutely frigid. He doesn't know how she manages the cold at all. His eyes are so heavy. He knows Grace is already fast asleep and he can already tell he's not far behind. The blankets are warm, the pillow is comfy and the company is just what he needed.


	9. Breakfast

When Boyd wakes up the next morning the bed next to him is empty and he can smell coffee brewing. He gets out of bed, pulls his pants on and heads down to the kitchen. "Morning," Boyd says when he sees Grace in the kitchen with a cup of coffee.

"Morning, Boyd. What do you want for breakfast?" Grace asks as she turns to face Boyd.

"I'm not a big breakfast eater, Grace. I'll just have some toast or something." Boyd pours himself a cup of coffee.

"Are you sure? It's not a problem to whip something up." Grace asks seriously.

"Yes, I'm sure. I'll be fine with a couple of slices of toast." Boyd reassures Grace.

Grace runs her soft boiled egg under cold water before she slides it into an egg cup. She sits down at the kitchen table with her egg and toast.

"What kind of bread do you have for toast?" Boyd asks as he opens the fridge.

"There's multigrain bread or sourdough bread in the bread box." Grace says cracking the shell on her egg.

Boyd pours a splash of milk in his coffee before going over to the bread box and pulling the multigrain bread out. He pops the bread into the toasters and goes in search of jam which he finds with the butter. "Seriously Grace, you only have apricot jam?"

"Mmhm, that's my favourite kind of jam. There is peanut butter in there though." Grace sets down her mug and goes over to the cupboard and goes on a hunt for the peanut butter. "Well, it's almond butter, not peanut butter, but it's very good." Grace passes Boyd the jar.

"I've never had almond butter before, but I'll give it a try." Boyd grabs his toast and spreads the two slices with almond butter. He sits down across from Grace with his toast and his coffee.

Grace watches Boyd as he tries his toast. "What do you think Boyd?"

"It's very nice. It's sweeter than peanut butter. I like it. Good suggestions Grace." Boyd smiles across the table at Grace.

"You're welcome, Boyd." Grace teases gently. She knows that she can't push him too quickly this early in the morning. She finishes her egg and her toast and wraps her hands around her mug. She still has a little bit of coffee left and she knows she's going to need every drop of it to get through the day. She hasn't even decided what she's going to wear today yet. "I'm going to go up and get dressed."

"Okay, I'll be right up. I just want to finish my coffee." Boyd loves watching Grace walk away from him. The view is spectacular.


	10. Fashion

Upstairs Grace is rifling through her wardrobe trying to find something to wear. Since she's feeling so feminine this morning she wants to wear something that makes her feel ultra feminine and she hopes Boyd notices the change. It's not her usual style, but she's happy. She picks out a black pencil skirt, but before she is able to pick out a top Boyd enters the bedroom. "What colour shirt are you wearing Boyd?" Grace asks looking at her shirt options.

Boyd looks in his carryall, pulls out his shirt and says, "My shirt is silver. Why do you ask?"

Grace doesn't respond to Boyd's question. "Okay, that leaves my options wide open. That makes things easier." Grace picks out an aqua cardigan and a white camisole. She also finds a pair of black pantyhose and black flats. She was considering wearing heels but she knows she can't wear them all day so she's wearing flats again.

"I'm going to get dressed in the bathroom." Boyd doesn't want to make Grace uncomfortable by changing in front of her.

Grace quietly breathes a sigh of relief. She has fallen in love with Boyd, but she's not ready to change in front of him yet. She opens her underwear drawer and tries to find some feminine, sexy panties, but she's having trouble. She finally finds a pair of black, lacy boy cut panties. She quickly gets dressed not wanting Boyd to see her partially dressed. She casts a critical eye over her appearance in the mirror. She's happy with how she looks for the first time in almost a year. She sits at her vanity where her make-up is sitting. She uses her liquid foundation as a base before she uses her powder. She picks up her mascara and when she looks up Boyd is leaning against the wall. "What not tie?" Grace asks as she puts her mascara on.

"My tie doesn't go with my shirt and I didn't put a tie in my carryall. I just won't wear a tie today. No big deal." Boyd says casually.


	11. Confessing and Weather Challenges

"Thank you for staying last night, Boyd. It was so nice not to be alone." Grace says sweetly. She finishes her make-up and stands up to put her shoes on.

"You look lovely, Grace. That's quite a different outfit for you." Boyd's jaw nearly drops when he see Grace's entire outfit.

"Thank you, Boyd. I appreciate the compliment." Grace says with a smile.

"Heels would top off that outfit perfectly." Boyd suggests gently.

"I know, but I can't wear heels all day. I'll have to settle for flats." Grace puts her shoes on and goes downstairs to collect her things for work.

Boyd watches Grace as she moves around the room and his breath catches in his throat when she bends over to put things in her large briefcase.

"I know you're watching me, Boyd." Grace says standing in front of bookcase not facing him.

Boyd sighs heavily. He's been caught. He hates getting caught. He slowly walks towards Grace. "You're beautiful, Grace." He puts his hands on her shoulders.

"Why did it take you so long to realize and say something?" Grace asks quietly.

"I'm an idiot, Grace. You know that better than anyone. I practically have to be hit over the head with something before I take notice even if it does seem obvious to everyone else. I can be oblivious most of the time." Boyd says seriously.

"You're such an idiot, Boyd." Grace turns around to face Boyd. She puts her hands flat on Boyd's upper chest.

Boyd brushes Grace's hair back from her forehead. Grace looks up at Boyd and she can feel her nerves kicking in. She's always wary of what Boyd is going to do when he looks at her that way. Boyd hesitates for a moment before he puts his hand under Grace's chin and slowly kisses her.

Grace can almost feel her entire body sigh happily when Boyd kisses her. She's almost in shock, but she doesn't want him to think she's not enjoying the kiss. She slowly responds to Boyd's kiss.

"Grace?" Boyd asks with confusion.

"Don't question it, Boyd. Just go with it." Grace says firmly.

"Okay, we'll just go with it then. Come on, let's get going. Do you have everything you need to have today?" Boyd asks as he and Grace walk into the hall.

"Yes, I just need a file from my desk. Why don't you go out and start the car and I'll be right out?" Grace suggests to Boyd.

"Alright, that sounds like a good idea." Boyd puts his coat and scarf on and opens the front door. "Grace! Have you looked outside? I don't think we're going anywhere. There's about a foot of snow out here."

Grace comes over to stand next to Boyd. "You said it was going to snow. We just didn't know it was going to snow today."

Boyd closes the front door and says, "I'm going to call Spence and see what we can get accomplished today. I wonder if I can get those files from the other four bodies founds in the same area."

"Boyd, you're going to make some poor bike courier bring the files over when you won't drive yourself? Don't even think about it. We'll just call it a day. I don't want anyone to take the risk. We can do some work on the psychological profile while we're here. London is going to be shut down."


	12. Day Off and Cocoa

"Call Spence, Stella, and Eve and tell them to stay home." Grace says firmly. The tone of voice brooks no argument from Boyd.

Boyd pulls his cell phone out and calls Spence. "Spence, listen call the team and tell them to stay home. The snow is crazy. Stay safe."

"Thanks boss. I was going to call and see if we had to come in today." Spence breathes a sigh of relief.

"Make yourself a cup of cocoa, relax, and watch the snow fall. Enjoy your time off, Spence." Boyd says with a smile on his face.

"I think the cocoa sounds like a wonderful idea. It's chilly and I can't believe it's still snowing. It's so rare in London." Grace says as Boyd ends his call with Spence.

"Cocoa sounds great Grace. Why don't I make us some? I make a pretty wicked mint cocoa I used to make for Luke." Boyd offers.

"That sounds so yummy Boyd. There's brownies we can have with our cocoa and we can top our cocoa with the whipping cream in my fridge." Grace smirks.

"You're so decadent, Grace. Should we do that and cuddle down in a blanket on the sofa? We can relax for a while before we get to work on the profile." Boyd teases Grace.

Grace chuckles at Boyd. "Listen, I'm going to go change and put my warm pyjamas and socks on and then I'll come back down."

"I think I'll come up and change into my sweatpants I have in my carryall. I don't want to be wearing my suit all day." Boyd doesn't look relaxed in his suit at all.

Grace walks up the stairs to her bedroom for the second time that morning. She picks out a pair of pink flannelette pyjamas and pink fuzzy socks. She's so cosy and warm when she puts her pyjamas on.

Boyd takes his trousers off, pulls his sweatpants on and begins to unbutton his shirt. Suddenly changing in front of each other doesn't seem like such a big deal anymore. He pulls a t-shirt on and puts a sweater on. He gets so few opportunities to wear his casual clothes. "You looks so cosy, Grace." Boyd says as he rearranges his sweater.

"I'm much warmer than I was when I was wearing my skirt. Let's go and have cocoa and brownies." Grace says with a smile.

Boyd follows Grace back down to the kitchen. He finds the Fry's cocoa powder, get the milk and sugar out and then asks Grace, "Do you have peppermint extract, Grace?"

"Yeah, in the cupboard to the left of the stove, the tall, narrow one." Grace says to Boyd. She goes over to the pantry and pulls out a tin. When she opens the tin Boyd can immediately smell the warm chocolatey smell of her brownies.

Boyd mixes the ingredients for his cocoa in a saucepan and turns the burner on to heat it. Grace moves around behind Boyd to get a plate for her brownies. She puts six on the plate and licks the icing off her fingers just as Boyd turns around to face her. he has to bite his lip to prevent himself from groaning at how sexy she looks. "Can you grab me a couple of mugs, Grace? This is just about ready." Boyd says when he regains his composure.

Grace passes Boyd a couple of winter mugs. Boyd carefully pours his cocoa concoction into the two massive mugs before he tops it with whipped cream.

"If you bring the brownies, Grace, I'll carry the mugs." Boyd says as the kitchen is filled with the smell of chocolate and peppermint.

Grace grabs napkins and dessert forks before she heads into the living room. The snow is still softly falling outside adding to the large amount already on the ground. She curls onto the couch after she sets the brownies down on the coffee table.


	13. I'm Asking You Out

"I can't believe it's still snowing."

"We may be stuck here for a couple of days at this rate. I haven't seen snow like this in London for a long time." Boyd passes Grace her hot cocoa and sits next to her.

The house is quiet and Grace is so happy. She carefully sips her cocoa hoping she won't burn her tongue. The cocoa is decadent and rich and divine.

"Grace, will you go to dinner with me? We'll wait until after the weather clears of course." Boyd asks hesitantly.

"Boyd, you're confusing me a little bit. What are you asking exactly?" Grace asks turning towards Boyd.

"I'm asking you to go to dinner with me as more than a friend. I'm asking you out on a date, Grace. Is that okay with you?" Boyd asks teasingly.

"Yeah, that's okay with me. I'd love to go for dinner with you. Do you want this to become a long term relationship, Boyd?" Grace asks seriously.

"I'd like to try and make it a long-term relationship, but this isn't exactly my forte. I know it's going to take effort from me to make it all work." Boyd says seriously.

"We'll work it out together. You're not on your own in this." Grace says gently.

Boyd breathes a sigh of relief.


	14. Brownies and a Serious Discussion

**Oops for the previous chapter 14. Problem solved! Here's the real one! I really have to remember to only have one story on the go about a show at a time!**

* * *

Boyd sets down his empty mug on the coffee table and picks up the plate of brownies and a fork. He could eat so many of Grace's brownies, but he knows he shouldn't. He passes Grace a fork and they dig into the brownies. The icing is so yummy and rich. "These are so good Grace. Can you bake all the time? I could eat these every day."

"I bake quite a bit especially around Christmas. The peppermint extract you used I use to make my chocolate mint pinwheel cookies. I don't always have baked goods in the house because I don't always have time." Grace tells Boyd.

"You've never brought any baking into work before. The kids would appreciate not having to eat those terrible muffins once in a while." Boyd teases Grace.

"I'll keep that in mind." Grace notices that Boyd has chocolate icing in the edge of his lip. She leans forward and kisses the icing from his mouth. She softly kisses him again when she's dealt with the icing.

Boyd is shocked at Grace's sudden action. She's not usually so forward at least not in her personal life. Boyd shrugs off the doubt creeping into his mind. He softly kisses Grace wanting her to know how special she is to him. He doesn't want her to feel uncomfortable at all.

Grace feels so wonderful with Boyd kissing her. She knows that Boyd is nervous. He is probably thinking a mile a minute right now. She pulls away from the kiss and says, "Would you stop thinking so much? You're making me feel slightly inadequate."

"Sorry Grace. I guess I'm just surprised at the speed this is going, that's all." Boyd says gently. He softly touches her cheek to reassure her.

"You think we're going too fast? Boyd, we've known each other 10 years. We've just been very hesitant. It's not as if this our first date or anything. We know each other well. We shouldn't be unsure about anything with each other." Grace says logically.

"You're right. We shouldn't be unsure, but we are in a new situation and that will naturally change things between us. That doesn't mean that our friendship isn't the perfect base for our relationship. I just think we're going to be naturally more cautious getting this started." Boyd says seriously.

"You have been listening, Boyd! I'm very impressed!" Grace teases Boyd. She leans in and kisses Boyd again. She wants him to know she's not feeling hesitant about this at all. She knows what she's doing and what she's getting herself into.

Boyd genuinely smiles as he pulls away from the kiss. He pulls Grace against his chest. Grace leans her head against Boyd and gets comfortable. Boyd can't believe how comfortable he is with Grace in this capacity. They've always been able to talk and tease each other, but this is very different for them. The quiet is nice actually.


End file.
